In athletics it is common practice for the athlete to have his ankle and foot wrapped or taped in order to prevent injury and in order to prevent aggravation of a pre-existing injury. It is desirable to inhibit rotation of the ankle about a longitudinal axis parallel to the foot and, to some extent, to inhibit normal flexure of the foot and ankle.
The use of adhesive tape for this purpose has certain disadvantages. It is time consuming as well as expensive as the tape is not reusable. The tape can have a propensity to loosen and slip responsive to perspiration. Elastic bandages are also used but these do not give as much support as adhesive tape.
The invention relates to an ankle brace for use by athletes or others requiring ankle support. The brace includes a base that can be wrapped around the foot and laced up the front. The lower interior or lower medial portion of the base as it wraps around the instep is concave to more closely conform to the foot. Flexible upright side support members are secured to either side of the base substantially the entire heighth of the base in such a fashion to form a plurality of elongate vertical pockets. Resilient stiffening ribs are located in the pockets to hold the base up with respect to the ankle and lower leg and provide a measure of support. The ribs or stays are spaced to straddle the lateral malleous or outer angle bone on the outer portion of the base, and to straddle the medial malleolus or inner ankle bone on the inner portion of the base. A flexible intermediate transverse member is secured on each side to the upright side support members in the vicinity of the ankle bone to provide additional support in the vicinity of the ankle joint.